nichols



Apr. lo, 1923. Re. 15,577'

' J. s. NlcHoLs FIRBPLACB HEATER Original Filed Aug. 21, 1920 2Ghana-sheet 2 Reissued Apr. 10, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES S. NICHOLS, OF ATLANTA., GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO NIC-HEATERCORPORATION, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, A CORPORATION OF GEORGIA.

FIREPLACE HEATER.

Original No. 1,370,349, dated March 1, 1921, Serial No. 405,042, filedAugust 21, 1920. ,Application for reissue filed March 1, 1923. SerialNo. 622,209.

'1'0 all 'who/m it may concem: V

Be it known that I, JAMES S. NIoHoLs, a. citizen of the United States,residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and 'State of Georgia, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Fireplace Heaters,` of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to heating devices for rooms, apartments and thelike and particularly to an open grate heater, and the primary Object ofthe invention is to provide an open grate heater adapted to be readilyarranged in open fireplaces of difl'erent types, and to have theessential elements of the improved heater so coordinated that the heatermay be readily a-dapted to fireplaces of different structures withoutrequiring a reorganization of the heater. A further object of theinvention is to provide a novel structure of open fireplace heater whichconstitutes an improvement of the heating de-` vice of similar characterdisclosed in the Patent No. 1,370,349 ,granted to me on March 1, 1921,and in the improved heater il the products of combuston yare caused tocirculate or pass therethrough to a smoke' outlet or chimney from theopen grate by way of a drum which eXtends inwardly an advantageousdistance from the front of the 00 fireplace to provide an extendedheating surface for practically heating a room or compartment into whichthe drum may proect with lnaterial economy in the use of uel.

The present improved heater comprises a complete organization of grateand frame having a metal back sheathing adapted to be rea-dily set inplace in a fireplace opening and to which the drum may be'removablyapplied and positively held by a simple operation and without requiringthe services of skilled workmen to dispose the several parts of theheater in Operative position. The invention also consists in theconstruction and arrangement of the several parts which will be morefully hereinafter described and claimed. j

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvedfireplace heater. o

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a portion of the sides and back of theimproved heater and particularly showing the formation of the upper andtop portion thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the relnovable drum.

Fig. 4 'is a transverse Vertical section through a fireplace and a partof the adjacent wall and chimney fiue showing one mode of mounting theimproved heater therein. v

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to F ig. 4 showing a different mode of mountingthe improved heater in a fireplace.

The improved heater as particularly shown by Figs. 1, 2, and 3 comprisesop-l posite metal members or ends 5 having lower outward extensionsor suporting feet 6 to rest on the floor of a firep ace, the upperextremities of the said ends 5 having recesses 7 to provide lower andrear shoulders 8 and 9 for a purpose which will be presently explained.

The ends 5 are continued rearwardly in the form of end extensions 10ythat also'constitute the lopposite ends of a rear inclosure 11 having aclosed back wall or side 12 and an upper forwardly inclined top wall 13terminating in rearof the upper terminals of the, ends 5. The ends 5,extensions 10, the back wall or, side 12 andthe upwardly and Vforwardlylinclined top wall 13 are preferably formed integrale and. of l'suitablecast metal. It will be 'understood, however, that in some structures vitmay vbe' desirable to' make the rear inclosure 11 separate from the ends5 and secure the said inclosure to the rear edges of theends by v'anywell known means. ends 5 and therear inclosure V411 be of integralstructure so that all this part of the improved heater maybeconveniently set in a fireplace. Suitably supported between the endsy 5and the extensions 10 is an open or basket grate 14 which is held at anysuitable elevationtat its vbottom portion above the lower edges of thefeet or supports 6. A This grate continues rearwardly to the back Wallorv side 12: and is bolted or other wise fastened to'the parts of theheater comprising the ends 5v and the said inclosure 11. This grate maybe so secured to the ends 5 and the parts of theinclosure 11 thatit maybe removed in the event of burning out Ofzthe grate bars or for otherreasons and replaced by .a similarnew grate.- The remaining .es-

Itis preferred, however, that the sential Vfeature of the heater is adrum which is removably fitted over the upper'extremities of the ends 5and in part projects rearwardly over the top inclined wall 13 of theinclosure 11. The drum 15 is preferably formed of sheet metal andcomprises opposite ends 16 and a top 17-having open-` ings 18 formedtherein normally closedl by plates or covers 19. '.The front wall 20 ofthe drum is outwardly bent in conveX form fully from the front edge ofthe top 17 downwardly to' the lower edges of 'dependingside flanges 21which are' continuations ofthe ends 16'. The lower edge portion ofthe'front convex' side 20'of the drum is fiared ou'twa-rdly as at 22 togive it a neat`appearanc'e" and also fac'ilitate the' infiowing of'jth'eair, into the. front top portion of the heater. Th'e drum 15 'also hasa' rea'rwardly extending flue or outlet duct 23, the said flue orduc'dt' '23' being "pref'erab'ly 'of rectangular form and f'ullyclosedexcept at its rear outletend 24. The closed top '25 of this ductinte'rsfects'a rear closed'wall 26 forming the back of' the drum, andfrom the bottom of the fluveeo'r" duct 23 `downwardly to the loweredges'of'the'fla'nges 21 the 'rear of the drum is 'fully open. Thebottom 27 of the flue for du'cft '23 U is' continued forwardly andupwa'rdlyl cu'rved about centrally between the wall 26and the conveXfront 20 of the drum, as shown by `ig. 11, to provide a separatingp'artition 28`for the'drum, the said pjartition causing' 'the products'of'comjbustion to flowl upwardly :'towa'rd the top' O f'the'interior'oflatter'passofi 'intoy 'the'chimney, as will be he'reinaft'en speifie'd'.`Mounted'in the rear Peltell' Qfthe drum' between the HPP'er'ter-I'nifflnal:V (ofA the'.p artition '28 andthe rear'wall 2,6[i's adamper29 having an ,operating rod 30 with .afsuitable gripping devicelocatedexteri'orly at'fone end' of the drum.` 'The danlp'er 29 ofl such Widththat when it is c'lo'sedtheopposite. side edges thereof willlf'rietifenllly.l 'mPin'ge 'against the ePPeeH' surfaces'of'thepartitionv 28`andv the rear wall' heater. The' druin; 15 as hereinbeforeindicat'ed and clearlyfshown in the drawings is removably ifitteld overthe upper extremities )f'ythe en'ds 5` withfthe flanges 21 fitting inthe, 'reeeS-Ses'7' and enaagingithe shoulders 8 and 9 to' provide asupport for' the drum and else jedept the' drumzte. be regulegrly' andPeeifiielyaplied When the'drum. ie ep- Ple Lee: inet expieinethefl'lrleneed ,e eft i'ncind" top wall '13* of the 'reariinc osure 11is engaged by the lower wall 27 of the flueor duct '23, as shown byFi'g; 4:, and by this means the products of combustion pass up from thegrate 14: and are deflected forwardly by the Wall 13 and forced to passup between the surfaces of the partition 28 and the front wall 20 of thedrum and then downwardly around the partition into the fl'ue orduct 23'.

In the application of the vimproved heater as shown by Figs. 4 and 5 itis associated with a partition wall 31l` forming the back ofitheirep'la'ce opening 32, and in theupperp'ortfon ofi'thesaidpartiti'onwall' 31a'an u elongatedop'ening 33 is constru'cted and prO-vided with 'a metal lining" or elongated` thimble 3'43 which snugly fitsin 'the said opening 33'v and tapers'or converges rearwa'rd'ly.``The'thin`1l;l e''`3`4vacts as'a reinforcing lining 'for the opening'33`` and also' as' a support for the components of thewall' or partition31a, and; 'fur ther`,'as a means'for tightly receivi'njg the' reareXtremi'ty of the flue oi' duct 23, the'rib 31 of the flue or ductlvfl'anges 21 depending from'the ends or end Walls 16 of the drum willhave been fully fitted in the recesses, 7, and when the drum' is soapplied' the rear 'wall 26` will stand away from the adjacent part ofthe wall' over the top of' the' fireplace opening '32, as shown in Fig.4:, to' vform a' narrow 'duct space 36 for circulation ofairtherethrough and whereby'the upper rear partjof the drum maybeadvantageously 'used toheat currents of air flowing through ithe saidspace 36. Furthermore, as shown by Figs. 4 and*'5,`the rear or back wall12 of the inclosure 11 will stand in advance of the adjacent outersurface of the partition or Wall 31La 'and provide a'rear duct 37, andas the front of the fireplaceis fully open at opposite extremities ofthe iniproved heater and in view of the fact that the said heater is notas wide as the fireplace. air will be permitted to freely circulatethrough the duct 37 i'Il rear of the wall or side 12 and becomeheatefhthus further taking'advantan'e of all possible heating surfacethat may be eX- posed for heating the air within a room and econolnizingin the use of fuel for heating purposes' At any time desired and foundnecessary the Vdrum 15 maybe withdrawn from the fireplace and'the'remaining part of the heater and quickly reset1 as there are nofastening means between the flanges 21 and the upper 'extremities of theendsz, nor between thev flue'orduct 23,4 and the thilnble 24:, the flueor ducthaving a f'rictional bindiig lio within the said thimble. Theflue' or ductl 23 opens into the chimney fiue 38 and the partition orwall 31a stands in advance of the rea-r wall of the chimney flue and hasa lower opening 39 therein which is normall closed by a suitable slidedoor 40. Throug l the lower central part of vthe back wall or side 12below the grate 14 an opening 41 is formed and is normally closed by ahinged door 42 of suitable'construction. By opening the door 42the slidemay be reached and opened to clear the opening 39 and per-- mit a shovelor other device to be inserted therein and clean out all sediment ordeposit in the bottom of the flue 38 in the rear of the partition orwall 31a, and subsequently the slide or door 40 may be closed and alsothe door 42, and by this meansv the deposit may be taken from the base'of the chimney flue without vwithdrawing the same through any part ofthe improved heater above.

The improved heater is shown applied in a different manner in Fig. 6,and in this instance the fireplace 43 is without the partition or wall31a, the chimney flue 38 opening directly into the top of the fireplace.Under these conditions the heater construction heretofore described andhaving similar reference characters applied thereto is set in thefireplace 43 and surrounded byv a face Strip 44 of metal which closesthe front of the fireplace all around the heater, and under theseconditions the flue or duct 23 pro- 'ects directly into the chimney flueas shown.

n this modified application of the heater the heating efl'ect will bethe same and the products of combustion will .circulate'up- Wardlythrough the drum and into the flue or duct 23 in the same manner asheretofore explained.

As an auxiliary featurev to facilitate the heating of the currents ofair drawn under the grate 14, an air heating lining sheet 45 is inserted.in the grate and extends over the ends and also over a portion of thefront side f of the rear 'wall or back side 12' of the inclosure 11 ofthe heater, the said air heating lining sheet being verticallycorl'ugated so as to form a plurality. of ducts 46 relatively to theparts of the heater against which-it is held, the Vertical. ducts 46being Open at the bottom of the grate. and. by this means the lower aircurrents lnay flow upwardly through the said ducts 46 close to the fireand become thoroughly heated With further economy in the use of fuel andadvantage in heating an apartment or room. The lining sheet 45 may beremoved at any time desired and replaced by a new similar sheet1 and itis proposed to Construct the same of a material best adapted for thepurpose such a'snetal or some fire-resisting plastic materla Theopenings18, by. removing the covers 19, lmay be utilized' for heating water orother substances.

The improved heating means generally is:

comparatively simple in its organization and the parts thereof may bereadly disposed in 'a fireplace and assembled or dissociated for removahand it is obviou's that changesl in the general dimensio-ns and minor.details'of the several parts thereof may be adopted withoutdepartingfrom'the scope of the inventiom j I claim: y .V

l. Ina heating device of the classspecified, the' combination with anopen fireplace having communication with a chimney flue, of a heaterinset in the fireplace and consisting of side members and rear.extensions and a back wall eXtending-upwardly .in connection vwith theside members and provided withan upwardlyand forwardly inclined closedtop extending over the extensionsf the side members, a grate held fullybetween the side members and rear extensions, and a radiating drum openat the bottom .to fit over the side members and extensions and tooverhang the front. edgesv ofthe side meinbers, thedrum being providedwith a rearvwardly extending flue for communicating with the chimneyflue,- the said drum being interiorly divided fora portion of itsvertical extent by a forwardly projecting portion of the bottom of theflue and provided'with a damper for controlling the outlet to the saiddrum flue.

2. In a heatingdevice of the class specified,`the combination With anopen fireplace in communication with a chimney flue, of supporting. sidemembers having a rear inolosure provided with an upper forwardly andupwardly inclined closed top`l a grate held againstthe rear inclosureand between the side supporting members, and a drum removably insertedabove the upper ends of the side members and having a flue extendingrover and engagingthe upper edge of the said inclosure top; the drumflue. having com- .munication 'Withv` the chimney flue. the drum beingopenat the bottom .and having a partition extendingr horizontally in.line with the bottom of the flue and then upwardly into the drum, topartially divide-v the drum and provide a passage .opening into. thedrum flue. a l

3. In a heating device ofV the class specified, the combination of anopen fireplace having a rear partition wall with an openingivtherethrough communicating with a chimney flue, of a heater disposed inthe fireplace and comprising side member Vsupports and a rear inclosurewith. an upper for- WardlyV and upwardly inclined closed top terminatingat its upper edge at' the rear member supports and a drum Vremovably laoQQ l

Inounted over'the upper ends of the supports and having a rearwardlyextending flue fitted in vthe opening of the partition7 the bottom ofthe flue engagilng the upper front edge of the said closed top and: theflue being fully open at the bottom over 'the supports to permit theproducts of 'combustion to circulate upwardly thereinto and'then passout through the flue thereof and into the chimney flue. v i

4. In a heating device of the class1-specified, the combination of anopen fireplace having a lrear partition Wallwithjan opening therethroughcommzunicating *with 'a chininey flue, of a heater dispos'ed inthefireplace and comprising side members' and a rear inclosure With anupper for'ivardly and upwardly inclined closed top Vtei'fllninating atits upper edge at the rear terminalsof the 'upper ends of the gratesupporting side members, a grate supportedby'said side members and adrum removably mounted 'over the upperends of the side membersiandhaving a rearwardly extending flue fittec'l Viln 'the opening of thepartition, the bottom of the flue engaging .the upper front edge of thesaid closed top and the flue being fully open at the bottom over theside members to permit the products of combustion tocirculate upvvardlythereinto and then vpass out through the. fluethereof and into thechimney flue,,the lower central portion of the said fireplace partitionand centerof thev backpf the extension from the 'sides'having openingstherein provided With closing doors Whereby sediment may be removed fromthe bottom of the chimney flue.` p f f 5. In a heating device'of theclass specified, the combination of-'anl open `fireplace having a rearpartition Wall With an opening therethrough communicating WithA Lachimney flue, of aheater disposed in the fireplace/and comprising sidemembers and a rear inclosure With an upper'forwardly and upWardlyinclined closed'top terminatin'g at V'its upper edge at therear'terminalsiof the upper ends of the grate supporting side members, agrate supported bj? said members and a drum removab'ly mounted`over 'theupper ends of the side members and having a rear- Wardly extendlng fluefitted lnthe opening of the partition, the bottom' of the flue engagingthe upper front edge of the said closed top and the fflue bein'glfullyopen at the bottom over the side inemberst'o' permit the products ofcombustion to'y 'circulate up- Wardly thereinto and then pass outthrough the flue thereof' and intoz the chimney flue, the lower vcentralportion of the said fir'eplace partition and` centerof the back of theextension from thesides having vopening's therein providedvvith'closindoorswhereby sediment may be removed from 'the bottom of the-chimneyflue; 'the back'of the 'extension and the1 uzppergrear side of 'theidrum being *respectively spaced 4from the 'partition Wall 'of the`fireplace and the upperV part of the Wall: surrounding the fireplace toform air heating passages.

In a heating device of the class specified,v the combination of an openfireplace' having arear partition Wall With an opening therethrough'communicating With a cliimney flue, a heatercomprising sidemembers andarear inclosure having a forWardly 'and upwardly'inclined closed topterminat- -ingat the 'rear of .the top edges of thegrate 'support-ingside members and leaving an opening between the upper ends of said sidemembers,- a grate supported by sald membersf` a drum removably applledover the vupper ends of the side membersand fully open at the bottom,the drum having a rearing 'side members and a rear inclosure Withan'upWardly and forWardly inclined closed top terminating at the rearportions of the upper eXtremities ofthe said side members, a gratevsupported by said members, the upper ends 'of the grate 'supportingside members having recesses formed therein, and a drum open at thebottom and having closed ends With depending extension langes fittedandheld in ,the recesses of the said grate supporting side members alsoprovided With a rearwardly eXtending horizontal closed flue engagingthe' upper edge of the said closed top and provided With asurroundingrib at a distance in advance of the rear open end of saidflue,` the opening in the fireplace partition having a thimble fittedtherein Which converges toWard the rear end and adapted to receive therear extremity of the drum flue and have thel rib of the vlatter engageofv the side members and having depending end flanges to fit in the saidrecesses and also provided With a rearwardlyextending horizontal fluewhich engages the upper edge of the said closed top, the drum having aninterior partition partially extending upwardly therethrough to directthe products of combustion upwardly thereinto and around and downwardlyin rear of the partition into the drum flue.

9. In a heatng device of the class described, a standard comprising aback wall and side Walls, a grate supported on the standard between thesaid Walls, a radiating drum open at the bottom to receive the productsof combustion, and a flue connected to the drum, the flue having a flatbottom surface extending across and seated upon the back wall of the'standard, and the drum having side Walls and a front wall extendingbelow the upper edge of the side Walls of the standard, the drum and theflue forming a separate unit.

10. In a heating device of the class described, a standard comprising aback Wall and side Walls, a grate supported on the standard between thesaid Walls, a radiating drum having a front Wall and side Walls and arear wall terminating above the lower edge of the front and side Walls,a flue having side Walls forming extensions of the side Walls of thedrum, an upper Wall extending from the lower edge of the said rear walland a lower wall seated upon the upper edge of the back wall of thestandard, the front Wall and the side Walls of the drum extending belowthe upper edge of the side Walls of the standard.

11. In a heatng devicer of the class de-` scribed, a standard comprisinga back Wall and side Walls, a grate supported on the standard betweenthe said Walls, a radiating drum open at the bottom to receive theproducts of combustion, and a flue connected to the drum, the drumhaving side Walls and a front wall fitting over the upper portion of thestandard and a rear Wall termina-ting above the lower edges of the frontand side Walls, the side Walls of the drum extending rearwardly to formside Walls of the flue and the bottom Wall of the flue defining a seatfor the drum upon the upper edge of the back wall of. the standard, anda partition wall within the drum extending upwardly from the bottom wallof the flue.

12. In a Vheating device of the class described," a standard comprisingside Walls,

a back wall including at its top a forwardly and upwardly inclinedportion, the upper edge of said portion being disposed in the plane ofthe upper edges of the side Walls and rearwardly of the front edgesthereof, agrate supported on the lstandard'between the said Walls, aradiating drum having side Walls itting over the upper portion of theside Walls of the standard and a front wall overhanging the front edgesthereof, and a flue extending across the upper edge of said inclinedportion and seated 'thereon, the rear Wall of the drum terminating atthe upper surface of the flue and the drum and the flue forming anintegral structure.

13. In a heating device of the class de-` scribed, a standard comprisingside Walls, a back Wall including at its top a forwardly and upwardlyinclined portion, the upper edge of said portion being disposedin theplane of the upper edges of the side Walls and rearwardly of the frontedges thereof, a grate supported on the standard between the said Walls,a radiating drum having side Walls itting over the upper portion of theside Walls of the standard and a front Wall overhanging the front edgesthereof, a flue eXtending across the upper edge of said inclined portionand seated thereon and a partiton Wall extending from the lower wall ofthe flue inwardly and pwardly in the drum to points above the upper wallof the flue, the drum and the flue forming an integral structure.

14. In a. heating device of' the class described, a heating drum havinga front wall, side Walls, a top wall and a. rear wall terminatingintermediate the top Wall and the lower edges of the front and sideWalls, and a flue substantially rectangular in cross-section the sideWalls of which lie substantially in the planes of said side Walls andthe bottom wall of which lies in a plane above'the lower edges of thesaid front and side walls, the upper wall of the flue joining the saidrear wall.

15. Device according to claim 14 including a partition wall extendinginwardly and upwardly in the drum from the lower edge of the flue to ofthe flue.

JAMES S. NICHOLS.

points above the upper wall

